The Produce for Better Health Foundation has named Stemilt Growers Inc., based in Wenatchee, WA, the first company to attain its Non-Retail Role Model honors for its support of the Fruits & Veggies - More Matters health initiative.

The formal announcement of Stemilt's role model status will be made at the foundation's board of trustees meeting April 3 in Monterey, CA.

Stemilt Growers Inc., a family-owned tree fruit grower-packer-shipper, is a leading Washington-grown sweet cherry shipper that also ships Washington- grown apples and Northwest pears.

Ito Packing Co. Inc. in Reedley, CA, once one of the larger fruit-packing operations in California, has suspended its packing operation and discontinued its sales and marketing activities but will continue to grow fruit.

Craig Ito, the company's president, told The Produce News that Ito Packing will no longer be packing or marketing fruit, confirming rumors and speculation to that effect from several sources.

Flooding in the Red River Valley, reported on some national news outlets, is having no impact on Red River Valley potato growers, according to Ted Kreis, marketing director for the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association, based in East Grand Forks, MN.

Mr. Kreis told The Produce News March 23 that the flooding is "upstream" around Fargo, ND. "Upstream" on the Red River Valley is unique in the United States as a southerly direction for a major river. The Red River of the north flows north into Canada.

BOERNE, TX -- Progreso Produce recently announced an exclusive sales and marketing agreement with Clear Springs Packing LLC in Bartow, FL, to market blueberries, watermelon, strawberries and cantaloupe.

The new relationship provides ancillary sales and sourcing support from Progreso Produce while maintaining the current sales staff, company name and labels of Clear Springs Packing. The Clear Springs relationship builds on Progreso's current watermelon interests in Florida and further solidifies its year-round presence while also adding additional products and facilities.

WATSONVILLE, CA -- California Giant Berry Farms is teaming up with two heavy hitters -- the Major League Baseball Player Alumni Association and the Tennis Channel -- for a Sweet on Sports promotion this spring.

The retail promotion includes separate programs featuring each partner for a total of 20 weeks. Sweet on Sports supports the healthy, active lifestyle consumer message that California Giant said it promotes through its full line of berries.

The Center for Produce Safety at the University of California-Davis and the California Leafy Greens Research Program awarded grants to seven leading scientists to conduct research that will provide the produce industry with new data to help mitigate the food-safety risks associated with leafy greens production.

Funded equally by the center and the research program, the awards represent the center's first collaboration under the Partners in Research Program.